Obsessing about cheese

Earlier I admitted to not having much of a sweet tooth. That's still true, but the other week I was obsessed with making cheesecake. It wasn't just any cheesecake. I wanted to make a particularly light, chocolaty, gooey cheesecake.

At work, at home, on the bus, on my bike, I wanted to make a chocolate and caramel cheesecake. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I had made a cheesecake. I hate having to buy a cheesecake. They are always so dense and devoid of anything other than sugar. The base is terrible and mealy. Why commit such crimes against cheesecake? Who would do that? 


 Take a breath. 

I wanted to combine this cheesecake with a recent discovery of mine, buttermilk. Yes OK, it's not new to most people, but until a few months ago I had never cooked with it. I've been quite excited to see what I can do with it.

This cheesecake is pretty simple to do but we'll keep that between us. 

Firstly you'll want to melt your chocolate. I use the tried and tested method of putting a bowl over a pan of simmering water. 

While that's going you will need to make your base. For this I used a packet of double chocolate digestive biscuits, a new discovery I had come across while at the supermarket. 

I would normally melt the butter before combining it with the biscuits but this time I just diced it all up and threw it in. It didn't seem to make much of a difference, so that's one step we can skip for next time. 

Once the base is pressed into the cake tin, I use a springform (fancy), keep it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.

For the cheesecake itself I like using mascarpone as I find it much lighter, and just prefer the taste. I cut 500g of marscarpone with 237 (one American cup) and 200g of sugar. 

You'll want to get as much air into the mixture as possible so don't be afraid to beat it. Once it's all combined pour in the cooled melted chocolate and combine it all. 

Here's the cheat' step. I used a can of caramel. Shock. I know. I could have made caramel but this was supposed to be an easy dessert to throw together. If I had the time I would have spent hours at the stove making my own dulce de leche. Don't feel bad if you do the same. No one will know. 

Once a layer of caramel is slathered on the chilled base, spoon on the cheesecake mixture and you're almost good to go. All it needs now is time to set in the fridge and you can dish up.

It's a real treat to have and looks great served up. You can go the extra mile and a coulis or a white chocolate sauce. Personally I find you need to do a cheesecake the day before to get the best taste out of it. It is fine to eat on the same day you make it, but if you can wait, trust me, it'll be worth it.